Chabot Space and Science Center
Encyclopedia
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, is a hands-on center featuring interactive exhibits, a digital planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
, a large screen theater, hands-on activities and three powerful telescopes.
The Center is the continuation and expansion of a public observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
that has served San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
schools and citizens with astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
education programs since 1883. It is named after the father of hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining, or hydraulicking, is a form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. In the placer mining of gold or tin, the resulting water-sediment slurry is directed through sluice boxes to remove the gold.-Precursor - ground...
and benefactor of the original Oakland Observatory, Anthony Chabot
Anthony Chabot
Anthony Chabot was a nineteenth-century businessman and entrepreneur, notable for his contribution to developing hydraulic mining and for building water systems, especially in the Bay Area, so much that he became known as the "Water King".-Biography:Chabot was raised on a farm in La Presentation,...
.
History
Anthony Chabot
Anthony Chabot was a nineteenth-century businessman and entrepreneur, notable for his contribution to developing hydraulic mining and for building water systems, especially in the Bay Area, so much that he became known as the "Water King".-Biography:Chabot was raised on a farm in La Presentation,...
to the City of Oakland. The original Oakland Observatory was located in downtown Oakland and provided public telescope viewing for the community. For decades, it also served as the official timekeeping station for the entire Bay Area, measuring time with its transit telescope.
The observatory moved to its Mountain Boulevard location in 1915 due to increasing light pollution and urban congestion. In the mid-1960s, the facility was expanded considerably. Throughout this time, the Chabot Science Center, as it was renamed, was staffed mainly by Oakland Unified School District personnel and volunteers. In 1977, seismic safety concerns terminated public school students’ access to the original observatory facility. The observatory building remained open to the general public, but school activities were limited to outlying classroom buildings and the planetarium.
Michael D. Reynolds
Michael D. Reynolds is the Dean of Mathematics & Sciences and Professor of Astronomy at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida...
, breaking ground for the facility in October 1996 with construction of the new 88000 square feet (8,175.5 m²) Science Center beginning in May 1998.
In January 2000, anticipating the opening of the new facility, the organization changed its name from Chabot Observatory & Science Center to Chabot Space & Science Center. The new name was chosen to better convey the organization's focus on astronomy and the space sciences, while communicating both the broad range and the technologically advanced nature of programs available in the new Science Center.
Opened August 19, 2000, the new Chabot Space & Science Center is an 86000 square feet (7,989.7 m²), state-of-the-art science and technology education facility on a 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) site in the hills of Oakland, California. The museum is an affiliate in the Smithsonian Affiliation program.
Attractions
Aside from its telescopes, it contains:- The Ask Jeeves Planetarium, a "full dome digital projection system" with various shows running daily.
- The Tien MegaDome Theater, a 70 feet (21.3 m) dome screen auditorium with various IMax-like shows.
- The ChallengerChallenger-Land vehicles:* Challenger trucks, a Canadian maker of heavy trucks* One of several British Army tanks:** Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger, in service during World War II** Challenger 1 tank, in service from the late 1980s to early 21st century...
Learning Center, a hands-on simulated space mission environment where 8 teams work together to complete a mission. - Many changing exhibits, full of hands-on displays, that highlight space and science topics. As of August 18, 2006, there are nine open exhibits.
Telescopes
Alvan Clark
Alvan Clark , born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the descendant of a Cape Cod whaling family of English ancestry, was an American astronomer and telescope maker. He was a portrait painter and engraver , and at the age of 40 became involved in telescope making...
and donated by Anthony Chabot. "Rachel" is a 20" refractor telescope, commissioned in 1914 from Warner & Swasey
Warner & Swasey Company
The Warner & Swasey Company was an American manufacturer of machine tools, instruments, and special machinery. It operated as an independent business firm, based in Cleveland, from its founding in 1880 until its acquisition in 1980...
, with optics by John Brashear
John Brashear
Dr. John Alfred Brashear was an American astronomer and instrument builder.- Life and work :Brashear was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a town 35 miles south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. His father, Basil Brown Brashear, was a saddler, and his mother, Julia Smith Brashear, was a...
. It is the largest refractor in the western United States regularly open to the public. "Nellie" is a 36" reflecting telescope
Reflecting telescope
A reflecting telescope is an optical telescope which uses a single or combination of curved mirrors that reflect light and form an image. The reflecting telescope was invented in the 17th century as an alternative to the refracting telescope which, at that time, was a design that suffered from...
which opened in June 2003 and is housed in a rolling roof observatory.
The telescopes are available for free public viewing on Friday and Saturday evenings, weather permitting. See the observatory website for hours and special closures.
Observatory quick facts
- Original Observatory built: 1883, Downtown Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
- Second Observatory built: 1915, at Mountain Boulevard
- Third (Present) Observatory built: 2000, at Skyline Boulevard
Telescope statistics
Leah- Type - Refracting telescopeRefracting telescopeA refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
- Maker - Alvan Clark & SonsAlvan Clark & SonsAlvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries...
, 1883 - Aperture – 8 inches
- Focal Length – 112 inches
- Mount – German equatorial
- Benefactor: Anthony ChabotAnthony ChabotAnthony Chabot was a nineteenth-century businessman and entrepreneur, notable for his contribution to developing hydraulic mining and for building water systems, especially in the Bay Area, so much that he became known as the "Water King".-Biography:Chabot was raised on a farm in La Presentation,...
- Usage Intent – popular and educational use
Meridian Transit Telescope
- Type - Transit telescope
- Maker - Fauth & Co., 1885
- Aperture – 4 inches
- Focal Length –
- Mount – Double Pier Transit
- Usage Intent – popular and educational use / time determination
Rachel
- Type - Refracting telescopeRefracting telescopeA refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
- Maker - Warner & SwaseyWarner & Swasey CompanyThe Warner & Swasey Company was an American manufacturer of machine tools, instruments, and special machinery. It operated as an independent business firm, based in Cleveland, from its founding in 1880 until its acquisition in 1980...
/ John BrashearJohn BrashearDr. John Alfred Brashear was an American astronomer and instrument builder.- Life and work :Brashear was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a town 35 miles south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. His father, Basil Brown Brashear, was a saddler, and his mother, Julia Smith Brashear, was a...
, 1914 - Aperture – 20 inches
- Focal Length – 28 feet (8.5 m)
- Mount – German equatorial
- Cost – $20,000
- Usage Intent – popular and educational use
Nellie
- Type - Reflecting telescopeReflecting telescopeA reflecting telescope is an optical telescope which uses a single or combination of curved mirrors that reflect light and form an image. The reflecting telescope was invented in the 17th century as an alternative to the refracting telescope which, at that time, was a design that suffered from...
, specifically a classical cassegrain reflectorCassegrain reflectorThe Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas.... - Maker - Chabot Space & Science Center, 2003
- Aperture – 36 inches
- Focal Length – 24 feet (7.3 m)
- Mount – equatorial fork
- Usage Intent – popular and educational use
Planetarium
Fulldome
Fulldome refers to immersive dome-based video projection environments. The dome, horizontal or tilted, is filled with real-time or pre-rendered computer animations, live capture images, or composited environments....
" shows. The weekly live shows are presented by a staff astronomer.
- Live Show:
Cosmos 360 (Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm and 9pm) uses the planetarium's digital fulldome
Fulldome
Fulldome refers to immersive dome-based video projection environments. The dome, horizontal or tilted, is filled with real-time or pre-rendered computer animations, live capture images, or composited environments....
system to view the night sky as well as flying through space to see the universe from a different perspective. The guided tour include in-depth views of planets, constelations and other current astronomical events. The show is updated to reflect seasonal night skies.
- Daily Shows:
The daily shows range from content geared for young children through more sophisticated shows designed for a general audience.
A complete schedule and listing of daily shows as well as current show times can be found at the center's planetarium page.
Galaxy Explorers program
The Chabot Space and Science Center offers volunteer and educational opportunities to local teens, who work as explainers on the museum floor or on outreach trips. The program was initiated by a grant from YouthALIVE! (Youth Achievement through Learning Involvement, Volunteer and Employment!) through the Association of Science-Technology Centers.External links
- Chabot Space & Science Center Official website
- Map of Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland Hills Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Chabot Space and Science Center Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions
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